Women Arising Series #12: Faith Ukpai

Today we end the #WomenArising series with an entry from Faith that details our heart for this series.

Oh we pray that you too arise sister.

As a new year beckons to us, #Rise.

Still I rise.

From the ashes of fear, failure, hurt and shame.

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I had failed in academics, with relationships, with my family, in businesses I started, with ideas I thought God had placed in my heart to pursue. With every step I tried to take forward, I felt the choke hold of fear and shame tighten around me. I started shrinking back, living in isolation. I lived that way for four years or more? Yet, I’d put up a brave front, encourage and pray for people around me whilst I lived in some black hole.

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This year, the Lord started wooing me and healing my heart and mind and it sort of culminated in my experience with reading Ted Dekker’s Trilogy. I had felt unloved for the longest time and He was stepping in to fix me. You see? He is healing me.

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His love also opened my eyes. His love endeared people to my heart, total strangers. I saw them for the precious souls they were and I started preaching on my bus routes again, albeit some hesitation. This time, I was receiving visions of preaching in buses and having people healed and delivered from all forms of diseases and oppression of the devil.

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This year, I transitioned from Commercial Law to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). I sat for and became certified to practice as a Mediator and starting from January 2018, I am setting out fully on this path. I also moved from fulltime Law practice to incorporate my love for Interior Design and walking the path of a vision in my heart. I was totally unqualified for this job by industry standards and felt a bit crazy over the career move but God worked out a way like only He could and He has steady shown His favour and blessings upon my work.

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This year, I also started an excellent gift service from the ashes of fear. It had been a long time coming and even though I knew it was time, I was afraid and shrank back.

I am so thankful grace reached out for me. I put out the first set of posts, a logo and updates and God blessed us with clients instantly.

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So, for @jars.baskets writing this serves dual purpose- to document this journey and to keep myself accountable, I can’t let fear win again.

Serving the needs of school kids during the rainy seasons with thermal lined coats/jackets and school supplies has steady taken up a spot in my heart. In the words of T.D Jakes, I am staring (intently) at this opportunity to see what could come out of it, to see what gift I could present back to God.

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Isaiah 41:10 NKJV

Then God sent me love to crown the year! Love that I could never have dreamed up, even if I tried. The kind of love that is a gentle balm to old hurts and pain; the kind of love that only He can pour into the heart of one for another…and He says He’s just starting!

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As I write these last few lines, racing against time, hoping I make it in time to submit my entry and frantically looking for a picture to accompany this,

I am reminded of this chorus from Andra Day’s Song- Rise Up, because serving at Aunty Salt Essien’s event #RisingUp was part of my healing process too.

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I make this pledge under Jesus, to rise, to shine, start over where I need to; to be all He’s made me to be and to lift many others on my way!

I share this song with you too. Rise!!!

I’ll rise up

Rise like the day

I’ll rise up

In spite of the ache

I will rise a thousands times again

And we’ll rise up

Rise like the waves

We’ll rise up

In spite of the ache

We’ll rise up

And we’ll do it a thousands times again.

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Faith’s Jars&Baskets is an excellent gift service for celebrations like Christmas and others- birthdays, births, weddings..and general gift giving.

We were driven by the need to help people (within their budgets) plan, prepare and gift very thoughtful selections not just a random bottle of groundnuts here or a bottle of perfume the receiver can’t use.

So… if you know a coffee lover or a new mum, someone who loves scents or you need a jar/basket for your spouse, dad, mum, boss?

Send a private message. You will be asked some questions and we’ll be good to go.

We’ll join hands with you as you dream up thoughtfully selected gift options suited to the needs or tastes of your friends, spouses, parents, mentors, colleagues..anyone!

Please, recommend us to your office folks as we also offer corporate gift services. Thank you!

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Hi there!
Welcome to our blog!

The Women At The Well (TWTW) is a Christian Ladies ministry founded by Hephzibah Frances.
We are anchored on John 4 and exist to lead women from the nations of the world to JESUS.
We understand that in these last days, only women who know that ONLY Jesus can fill up their empty spaces will stand and we are committed to raising these kind of women.
We are based in Lagos Nigeria and reach our women through crusades and conferences around nations of the world.
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